Chandrayaan-3 is set to land on the Moon's surface at 6:04 pm IST today, making India the first country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon's south pole—a region of great interest due to the potential for discovering water.
But what follows the successful landing?
The rover, named Pragyan, will descend from the lander Vikram's belly onto the Moon's surface to conduct a thorough analysis.
Both the lander and rover will undertake a series of experiments, including a spectrometer analysis aimed at uncovering the mineral composition of the lunar surface.
Their operational window extends for one lunar day, equivalent to about 14 Earth days. This period corresponds to the duration when the Sun shines on the Moon.
During daylight, all systems are expected to function optimally. However, when the lunar night falls, temperatures plummet to as low as minus 180 degrees Celsius, significantly reducing the likelihood of the spacecraft's survival.
The course of events beyond these initial 14 days remains uncertain.
If the lander and rover manage to endure another lunar day, it would mark a remarkable achievement for ISRO.
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